Living in West Fargo, ND
College town in North Dakota
West Fargo is a college town in North Dakota, home to about 39,000 people, with 240,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is West Fargo a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Mild summers: highs around 80°F
- Safe: violent crime is 0.4× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $311k and rents for $1,550 a month
- Strong healthcare: 1 top-rated (4–5★) hospital within 31 mi
👎 Cons
- Smaller job market: about 240,000 people live within 31 mi
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Far from a big airport: MSP is 224 mi away
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how West Fargo ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in West Fargo: common questions
What is the cost of living in West Fargo?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $311k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,550 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 91, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in West Fargo?
North Dakota collects about $546 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.31% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is West Fargo safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.4× in FBI 2019 data).
How are the schools in West Fargo?
Public schools in West Fargo test above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 13 students per teacher.
What is the weather like in West Fargo?
West Fargo has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 21°F and summer days around 80°F, with roughly 51″ of snow a year.
Does West Fargo get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and cold waves: 14 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.61 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to West Fargo?
The nearest major airport is MSP, about 224 mi away.
How West Fargo scores
Each bar compares West Fargo with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
Places like West Fargo
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.
The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).
Nearby
See all the best places to live in North Dakota.
Is West Fargo right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.